The present generation of elderly people remains more active than ever. Rather than moving into specially observed homes and retirement homes, they regard their own homes, having lived there for a long time, the ideal place to live after retirement and arrange themselves accordingly. This is a generational change that has happened only within the last 15 to 25 years. Before then, retirees usually considered moving to a retirement home or a living facility at a much earlier age than nowadays. Presently, retirement homes are used more to help those with pressing diseases such as dementia or other ailments requiring around-the-clock care.
Elderly people are susceptible to disastrous incidents like stroke, heart attack, or falls due to fainting. However, due to said societal changes, retirees without supervision will most likely not receive the required immediate help in such cases.
Therefore, security systems were developed basically comprising of easy and cost-efficient to install cheap surveillance materials in every room, from the bathroom to the kitchen, telecasting every movement to a supervision centre, much like the ‘Big Brother” TV series of the early millennium. However, this is an unacceptable invasion of privacy. Furthermore, constant supervision of such systems would not be financially viable as it constantly demands manpower to attend and supervise even a single-person household. Thus, there is a need for a cost-effective home security system and method increasing home security without negative influence on the resident's privacy or convenience.